Anyone offer their opinions on my symptoms
Posted , 3 users are following.
Not sure I am posting on the correct forum but here goes.
I am female age 71 have IBS, diverticulosis (never had diverticulitis) hypothyroidism, asthma, allergic Rhintis,glaucoma and high blood pressure. Think that's everything it's enough anyway and oh and I suffer from anxiety.
Nearly 5 weeks I caught a bad cold which started. I still have it as cold always make both rhinitis and asthma. I do transferring them. After around 4 trips to go and walk in clinic I was given penicillin double dose for 7days. Was ok whilst on them and the cough is,definitely getting better. Now here is,where it starts the,day after finishing the tablets I started,to get sift stools bloating etc and really sore and burning vagina,and frequent and urgent need to urinate which hurt. I saw,Smith go and told him I thought it might be a hit as when I get colds,I cough as o much and wet my self that I often end up with an infection. He said that this time he thought it,was thrush from the,antibiotics. I have taken the anti fungal tablet and using the cream ( I told him I did not think I could insert the pessary) The cream seems to make it worse. In desperation I bought some replens,and is is helping a bit. Will go back to go gp tomorrow last doctor said if no better get an examination and,a swab taken. The pain seems,to be,worse before and,after opening bowels so I am wondering about,some type
0 likes, 11 replies
libralady13
Posted
sorry about that must have presented enter by mistake. As I was saying I wondering about some type of prolapse. I should,add that when I was,about 30 I had,a uti which left me with frequent urination and an odd pain in one,side of the vagina doctors,could never find,anything wrong and after about 6 months,it went away. It did come back again 4 years,later same as before went away. It had come back again for short periods over the years. Any idea,what this might be I am passing urine about every hour no blood. At night I only get up once. Sorry to go on and on but really trying to find out what's wrong doctors take ages to refer you to a specialist. The same with my voice I sing in a choir and still can't sing properly after nearly 5 weeks but my gp said can't refer me until 6 weeks but am worried about damage to voice. Lastly I take a diuretic foe blood pressure and a antihistamine for rhinitis was,wondering if they would make urinary problems worse. Thanks,for reading this. sorry about mistakes. I hate predictive text.
shirley_an59859 libralady13
Posted
HI, I'm sorry that you're suffering - you really need to be referred to a uro-gynaecologist if possible. You're right in thinking there's a connection between bowel and bladder issues as the nerves that supply both are bundled very closely together at the base of the spine. I have IC and IBS (and fibromyalgia) and when one plays up the other does too! look up vulvodynia and interstitial cystitis and see if you feel you have those symptoms. only look at the official sites though or you'll make your anxiety worse! if you have a prolapse, a simple exam by your doctor would find out. we all have a certain amount of stress incontinence as we age unfortunately! lack of estrogen doesn't help as both the vaginal and bladder tissue are estrogen receptive. I think this might be the case as you say replens is helping as with low estrogen the skin gets thin and dry. HRT was the way forward for me and if you can't or don't want to take it systemically you can use vaginal pessaries (vagifem) instead as there they are a very low risk alternative. you say you've had a cold for a while and are taking diruetics - it may be that you're a bit dehydrated which would be your urine more acidic, so try increasing your fluid intake, maybe try a probiotic or actimel to improve gut health especially after the antibiotics. There are many causes of symptoms like yours so its a waiting game i'm afraid! in the meantime stop using the thrush cream - its not vital if you've had the oral tablet, avoid caffeine, alcohol and citrus drinks and foods. I hope they can get to bottom of this for you soon as its a miserable set of symptoms to deal with!
libralady13 shirley_an59859
Posted
Thank you so much for your reply. So much of what you say rings true with me.
My plan is to get an appointment with my GP tomorrow if possible if not I already have one booked for Thursday about something else. I am hoping to start with she will do a urine dip stick test and send off a sample to the lab together with a vaginal swab. Not looking forward to that. I can remember 2 or 3 times during the last few years I have had a really back cold going on for a month or so and have had to have antibiotics as I have tested positive for uti. Once on antibiotics for a couple of days I was fine with all symptoms gone. I put this down to dehydration from all the coughing and having to wear large pads as I was soaking myself. Normally I just use slim tenor lady pads for slight leaks. Unfortunately the rhinitis and asthma mean I do sneeze and cough at times. The only difference this time round is that the symptoms started after completing a course of antibiotics. I assume the penicillin messed up my digestive system as I did have some stomach ache and soft stools. I assume that is why the other gp thought it would be thrush although I have never suffered from it before after antibiotics. I have stopped using the cream as it was making it worse. Will cary on with replens as it does seem to help. I am going to see if I can change from an antihistamine tablet to a nasal spray as I can't take steroid inhaler for other reason. Likewise see if I can change diuretic to a blood pressure tablet although I was changed to diuretics because of swollen ankle with the tablets. Of course there is more than one type.
I will look up vulvydenia and IC as you suggest. I have had vaginal estrogen cream a few years back that was because of a searing pain in vagina and dryness although no other symptoms. It worked really well but I never kept it up. I think is was called Ovesten.
I am thinking if not a UTI then maybe something bought on by antibiotics lke pelvic floor dysfunction or maybe a I do have a proplapse. In any case will ask about estrogen cream but I get the feeling my gp is not to keen, but I may be wrong. Myself and my husband have spent the last 2 years since moving home to be near daughter and family going to hospital clincs and tess and procedures though we had finished at least for while. Last thing I have been trying to watch diet and have cut out tomatoes onion citrus fruit and drinks. Hardly drink alcohol or coffee but still have 2 weak teas a day. Also having yakult in the morning and organice natural yogurt one a day. Will let you know how I get on but I realise it might take time.
shirley_an59859 libralady13
Posted
Hi again. Ovestin cream is an estrogen cream and as it helped you, thats another clue that your symptoms could be related to low estrogen. I tried that cream and it helped a bit, but the vagifem pessaries were better and less messy and easy to insert. If your GP is reluctant to prescribe them i would ask to see a gynaecologist. As for the antihistamines I actually take them (hydroxyzine) for my bladder problems so I doubt they would be making your bladder probs worse. I don't think you had thrush, more likely a reaction to the penicillin and thrush cream (it burned like crazy when I used it!) but then I'm not a doctor. you may have an inflamed bladder though which would test negative for UTI although it would probably show some leukocytes. You may have pelvic floor dysfunction which can be treated by specialist physios. There is also PTNS - a kind of accupuncture on the NHS for overactive bladder if thats what you have. Let me know how you get on this week.
ann_marie93564 libralady13
Posted
I hope you can find a solution. I, too, have bladder problems. I'm 82 and have had problems for years.a few years ago my gynocologist suggested a pessiaary for prolapse. Seemed to.help. I have overactive bladder, diverticulousis and , like you,suffer from anxiety. I also went through a program called PTNS which helped.This past year have had a few IT Is and a yeast infection. My last infection was 3 months ago. the dipstick showed a uti but culture came back negative. Turned out to be a
yeast infection. About 2weeks ago went to Dr and the dipstick showed an infection. culture came back negative.so they brought me in and took a swab but Dr didn't see any signs of a yeast infection. Now I'm waiting for the culture to come back. I'm really miserable. Had to go out of town for a family affair. so Thursday and Friday felt good. Left on Sat and was fine for about 5 hrs and it started again. Have to go every few minutes. Then sometimes get on the toilet and only a few drops come out. ibuprofen helps me at times.Finding it so hard to live like this. Have an appt with the gyn on Thursday to see what she suggests. I wonder if the pessiary could be causing me problems.wish someone could suggest something else. I watch many diet., no caffeine, alcohol, tomato based products, etc etc . Also take a probiotic, d mannose and vitamins. I'm at a loss as what to try.
libralady13 ann_marie93564
Posted
Thanks for your reply.It seems you are suffering at the moment. Don't you get fed up with it all. Bad enough with all the other conditions we have to deal with but this on top. I also have osteoarthritis and gastritis so am aware of what I should eat don't always succeed but I have left out tomatoes, onion, citrus fruit and juice and cut down tea to 2 a day should really cut out but I drink a lot of water as well. I don't like coffee so no problem there and hardly ever have alcohol. My vice is chocolate but have cut that down to a couple of squares. I take yakult in the morning and organic natural yogurt once a day. I am going to the gp tomorrow if I can get an appointment or Thursday as I already have one booked for another reason. I you read my reply to Shirley you will see what I am going to ask my GP.
It does seem to me that many different conditions seem to go hand in hand as I read so many people have the same sorts of problems.
I hope you can get some help soon and find something which helps. As you say it is so hard to live like this in pain and having to be near a toilet. Take care.
libralady13
Posted
To Shirley_an5 and Anne_Marie 9. Just an update on my GP appointment. My doctor was not in today but saw the main doctor. Did a urine dip stick contained blood and nitrates he said probably an infection. Now been sent to lab for culture. Now on ciprofloxacin for 7 days. Also a vaginal exam not nice hurt a lot. Forgotten about the dreaded speculum. Doctor said everything looked ok nurse took swabs just in case. Waiting game now have to go back in a week for results. Wish they had done a urine check a week ago. Will let you know how it goes.
ann_marie93564 libralady13
Posted
here's my update.saw my gyn
today and the yeast infection was negative. she said my urine was fine and that I only have some white cells in the urine from the pessiary. She doesn't want to remove the pessiary as it is doing its job. She says any other Dr would perform surgery and it wouldn't help me and would make things worse. She knows I am very nervous and I was in tears when I went in. She also told me to take adivan 3 times a day. For dinner I had a tiny glass of Bailey's and it made me dizzy. Now I'm still constantly going.Has had a lot of stress in my life lately. She also told me to continue the PTNS. I just hope I can calm myself down . if this continues I wonder if there's anything I can take over the counter for this overactive bladder. Sorry to have rambled on like this.
libralady13 ann_marie93564
Posted
Hello Please don't worry about rambling on. I know what it is like with anxiety in general but especially health anxiety as I am finding mine is creeping back, so I need to address this. Maybe someone here could suggest something for overactive bladder you obviously know what to avoid citrus fruits and juices,tomatoes,tea and coffee and of course chocolate. Great at our age when we should not have to worry about food just try and eat a healthy diet with one or two treats to look forward to. Stress seem be involved in lots of health problems but it is not always easy to escape it these days. Take care and keep in Touch. Carolx
ann_marie93564 libralady13
Posted
thank you for your reply.I'm so disgusted with this whole thing. I'm driving my husband nuts. Have been up every 1/2 hr during the night and keep wetting myself. I never did this before. Wonder if it's from that Bailey's. Havent drank any alcohol in such a long time, so maybe this set me off. when I saw the Dr yesterday she said everything was fine with my bladder. should have addressed the frequency.She told me to take the addivan as she thinks it's from my nerves. Hope today is a better day and thanks so much for your kind words.
libralady13 ann_marie93564
Posted
Hello again, I understand how you feel as you do and If eel I drive my husband nuts at times. I t has seemed to be one thing after another healthwise. As you know I have suffered anxiety and my daughter has,tried to get me to take tablets for it but I have resisted so far. The trouble is I have other health problems and medications and I am worried about side effects and addiction. One that my GP suggested was contraindicated with glaucoma which I have. The trouble is I think is that everything gets blamed on anxiety although it can cause a lot of symptoms some strange. I hope the Addivan works for you. Take care.